Structure for providing air circulation at the roof of a building

ABSTRACT

A building having rows of overlapping shingles defining an air passage therebetween. The overlapping rows of shingles include one longitudinal row having an outer edge region overlapping and situated outwardly of an inner edge region of an adjoining row of shingles with these shingle rows respectively having overlapping surface areas directed toward each other. Rows of spacers are situated between these overlapping surface areas to maintain them spaced from each other, and the spacers of one row are staggered with respect to the spacers of the other row with all of these rows extending horizontally. Thus, while air can blow between the rows of spacers and thus between the overlapping surface areas of the shingles, a liquid such as rain cannot progress therebetween.

[54] STRUCTURE FUR PROVHDHNG AIR CIRCULATHUN AT THE R001 01F A BUILDING [72] inventor: Hans Simon, Bruchhausener Strasse 5463,

Unkel/Rhine, Germany [22] Filed: Apr. 17, 1970 [21] App]. No.1 29,496

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 30, I969 Germany ..P 19 49 217.2

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 420,708 2/1890 Carroll et al ..52/529 3,269,717 8/1966 Beck ..248/22 1,400,278 12/1921 Fougner ..52/739 224,868 l2/l962 Austria ..52/553 251,824 9/1948 Switzerland Primary E.\'aminer-Alfred C. Perham Attorney-Steinberg & Blake [57] ABSTRACT A building having rows of overlapping shingles defining an air passage therebetween. The overlapping rows of shingles include one longitudinal row having an outer edge region overlapping and situated outwardly of an inner edge region of an adjoining row of shingles with these shingle rows respectively having overlapping surface areas directed toward each other. Rows of spacers are situated between these overlapping surface areas to maintain them spaced from each other, and the spacers of one row are staggered with respect to the spacers of the other row with all of these rows extending horizontally. Thus, while air can blow between the rows of spacers and thus between the overlapping surface areas of the shingles, a liquid such as rain cannot progress therebetween.

8 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATEMTEBMAY 91972 3.660855 sum 2 [1F 3 mmvron Y //,4A S/MON WWW ATTORNEYS PATENTEDMAY 9 I972 SHEET 3 OF 3 FIG. 11

INVENTOR.

m/vs sma/v Wm M ATTOQA/EXS STRUCTURE FOR PROVIDING AIR CIRCULATION AT THE ROOF OF A BUILDING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to structures to be used at the roofs of buildings such as houses, or any edifices where there are, for example, overlapping rows of shingles.

As is well known, it is highly desirable to be able to provide for air circulation particularly at a region such as the roof of a building. The roofs of such buildings are conventionally covered with shingles which may be flat orwhich may be provided with a suitable profile. For example, it is very well known to provide at the roofs of buildings shingles which are corrugated and made, for example, of asbestos or an asbestos cement, although corrugated sheets of other material or even fiat shingles may be used. In any event with conventional roofs the heat radiated from the sun provides an intense heat concentration at the roof with the result that the air situated therebeneath becomes heated to an undesirably great extent. In order to eliminate this drawback it has already been proposed to provide cooled roofs where at the highest point of the roof devices are provided to make it possible for the heated air to escape, while at the same time at the lower edge region of the roof openings are provided through which fresh air can enter into the roof enclosure.

These conventional devices which are required for a continuous air circulation are extremely complex and expensive to manufacture so that high costs are involved in using these conventional devices. For example, in the case of convention corrugated asbestos-cement roof shingles, it is necessary to provide at the peak of the roof three specially shaped components while with other types of roofs it is essential to provide specially built peak hoods with aerating components attached thereto. The result is that these conventional devices are extremely complex and involve many times the costs of a simple conventional flat roof which is not provided with such structures.

Moreover, cooled, aerated roofs of the above type are not desirable from an esthetic standpoint, and this factor also applies to the aerating devices which are conventionally applied along the lower edge regions of a roof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide structure capable of avoiding the above drawbacks, by making it possible to utilize conventional peak shingles while still achieving an effective air circulation and at the same time maintaining the structure extremely simple and inexpensive.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide for situation between rows of overlapping shingles spacers which can be used with either corrugated shingles or with flat shingles.

Also it is an object of the invention to provide a construction of the above type which will render it possible for air to circulate where desired while at the same time preventing undesirable tlow of liquid, such as rain, through the space between overlapping shingles.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a construction of the above general type where spacers are capable of adapting themselves to irregularities and inaccuracies so as to assure a proper assembly of the shingles while at the same time providing the desired circulation of air therebetween.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a construction of the above type which lends itself to an easy assembly of the components in their positions of use.

Also, it is an object of the invention to provide an exceedingly inexpensive structure which at the same time is rugged and capable of adapting itself to the particular conditions which are encountered.

According to the invention there will be provided, at a building, a pair of overlapping rows of shingles with these rows of shingles being constituted by one row which has an outer longitudinal edge region situated outwardly of an inner longitudinal edge region of the other row. The row of shingles which have the outer edge region has an inner overlapping surface area directed toward an outer overlapping surface area of the other row of shingles, and between these overlapping surface areas of the shingle rows there are at least two rows of spacers of the invention with these spacers fixed between the rows of shingles and maintaining their overlapping surface areas spaced apart from each other. In each row of spacers, the spacers are arranged with gaps situated therebetween, and the length of a gap from one spacer to the next is no greater than the length of a spacer. The spacers of one row are staggered with respect to the spacers of the other row in a manner aligning the spacers of one row with the gaps between the spacers of the other row, and in this way while it is possible for air to find its way around the spacers and between the overlapping surface areas of the rows of shingles so as to provide for free air circulation therebetween, it will not be possible for rain to be driven by wind upwardly through the space between the shingles. Of course, the overlapping surface areas of the shingles and the rows of spacers will generally extend horizontally.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings which form part of this application and in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective illustration of rows of shingles with rows of spacers therebetween, the structure which is illustrated in FIG. 1 being situated at the peak of a roof of a building;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective illustration of an arrangement with flat shingles;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of the manner in which rows of spacers are situated;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic representation of how the space between overlapping shingle rows appears when looking into this space, with corrugated shingles such as those of FIG. I being used;

FIG. 5 is a perspective illustration of the details of an embodiment of a spacer according to the invention;

FIG. 6 shows the spacer of FIG. 5 as it appears when looking at an end of the spacer;

FIG. 7 is a sectional elevation illustrating how the spacer of FIGS. 5 and 6 is situated between a pair of shingles;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective illustration of the spacer of FIGS. 5 and 6 in an unstressed condition;

FIG. 9 shows the spacer of FIG. 8 when the spacer walls apparent from FIG. 8 are pushed toward each other;

FIG. 10 shows the structure of FIG. 8 when the spacer walls visible in FIG. 8 are spread apart from each other;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary transverse section of the structure of FIG. 2 taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows, FIG. 11 showing how layers of adhesive may be applied to the shingles for fixing the spacers therebetween; and

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary perspective illustration of an elongated strip of sheet material which has spacers fixed to one face thereof and which can be rolled in the manner shown diagrammatically at the right of FIG. 12.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated therein part of the uppermost horizontal row of corrugated shingles I which extend along one slanting roof face next to the peak thereof. There is also fragmentarily illustrated the other uppermost horizontal row of corrugated shingles 2 which extend along the opposite slanting face on the other side of the peak of the roof. The upper edge region of the row of corrugated shingles I has an outer surface area to which spacers 3 and 4 of the invention are applied in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1. The

upper edge region of the other horizontal row of corrugated shingles 2 has an outer surface area to which two rows of identical spacers 3a and 4a are applied in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1. It is to be noted that while the lower rows 3 and 3a of spacers are situated at the crests of the corrugations of the corrugated shingles, the uppermost rows of spacers 4 and 4a are situated in the valleys between the corrugations. The peak row of shingles 5 which has the peaked configuration illustrated in FIG. 1 overlaps the upper edge regions of the rows of shingles l and 2 which are provided with the rows of spacers of the invention so that outer edge regions of the row of shingles 5 overlap the inner edge regions of the rows of shingles l and 2 with these outer edge regions of the shingles 5 having inner surface areas overlapping the outer surface areas of the shingles l and 2 where the spaces of the invention are situated, and, of course, the rows of spacers engage the inner overlapping surface areas of the shingles 5. As a result of the presence of these spacers between the overlapping surface areas of the horizontal rows of shingles, the spacers are on the one hand covered by the shingles 5 and on the other hand they maintain between the overlapping rows of shingles a sufficiently great intermediate space to afford the required escape of the heated air which can circulate between the shingles in the manner designated by the arrows in FIG. 1.

With the arrangement shown in FIG. 2, flat overlapping rows of shingles 6 and 7 are fragmentarily illustrated. The rows of spacers 8 of the invention are now situated with their flat side surfaces against the lower row of shingles 6. In the illustrated example there are three rows of spacers 8 with the spacers of each row separated from each other by predetermined gaps. It will be noted that the rows are staggered so that the spacers of one row are aligned with the gaps between the spaces of the adjoining row, and, of course, all of the spacers are longer than the gaps therebetween. The spacers are covered by the outer edge region of the other row of shingles 7 to maintain between the overlapping surface areas of the shingles 6 and 7a sufficiently free space to afford the required free movement of air in the manner shown by the arrows in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 11, it will be seen that the inner surface area of the outer row of shingles 7 is provided with a coating of adhesive 7a, the outer overlapping surface area of the shingles 6 is covered with adhesive 6a. Thus, this adhesive will cause the spacers to adhere to the shingles and thus provide the required connection therebetween when the rows of shingles are bolted or otherwise fastened together.

In the particular example shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 11, the spacers may take the form of plastic bodies of square or rectangular cross-section which may be very readily die cast or extruded. These bodies can be given the curvature apparent from FIG. 1 so that they can be situated with their concave surfaces on the crests of the corrugations and with their convex surfaces in the valleys of the corrugations. With this arrangement the particular spacers shown in FIG. 1 will have opposed flat side surfaces so that these very same spacers can be used as the spacers 8 of FIG. 2. Of course, the corrugated shingles of FIG. 1 can be provided with layers of adhesive in the manner shown in FIG. 11 for the shingles of FIG. 2 so as to provide an adhesive assembly of the type shown in FIG. 1. Furthermore, it is equally possible to provide the coating of adhesive on the spacers themselves rather than on the shingles.

FIG. 3 diagrammatically represents elongated straight spacers which may be used, for example, with flat shingles of the type shown in FIG. 2. The manner in which the spacers of FIG. 1 appear when looking into the space between the shingles is apparent from FIG. 4.

It will be apparent from the arrangement of spacers 30 which are shown in FIG. 3 that the spacers are longer than the gaps 32 therebetween and in addition the spacers of one row are staggered with respect to the spacers in the other row so that the spacers of one row are aligned with the gaps between v provided with the assembly of FIG. I. In this latter connection it is to be noted that each corrugation of a shingle will have in cross-section approximately a sine-wave configuration corresponding to a given wave length, for example. Considering each full corrugation as being one wave length, then it is clear that with the invention each spacer 3, 4, 3a, 4a has a length at least equal to half a wave length or in other words at least equal to one-half the width of a full corrugation. Actually the spacers are somewhat longer so that each gap in one row is aligned with an intermediate portion of a spacer in the next row.

With this particular arrangement if it should happen that during a storm the wind drives rain upwardly between the spacers of the lowermost row, this rain will simply engage the staggered spacers of the next higher row and be prevented from penetrating further. Thus, while air can freely circulate liquid such as rain is prevented from circulating upwardly through and beyond the space between the overlapping regions of the rows of shingles.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of a spacer of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 5. In this embodiment the spacer is in the form of an elongated plastic body of a suitable springy elastic plastic with the spacer having in cross-section an X-shaped configuration. Thus, the spacer actually takes the fonn of a pair of plates which intersect and cross each other so that in cross-section they appear to form the diagonals of a square or rectangle.

The elongated spacer body of X-shaped cross-section or configuration is made of a magnitude so that it can be curved in the manner illustrated in FIG. 5 and thus can be adapted to the curvature at the crest or valley of the corrugations of corrugated shingles. Thus, these spacers can easily be situated in the manner shown for the spacers of FIG. 1 extending transversely over the crest or along the valley of the successive corrugations of the shingles. As is apparent from FIG. 5, at the crest of each curved spacer, the opposed wall portions thereof are respectively formed with notches 9. Thus, when these spacers are situated in the valleys between successive corrugations of the shingles, any rain which should collect at an upper side of such a spacer will be able to freely flow down through notches 9 and thus escape.

According to a further feature of the invention, the longitudinal wall portions of a spacer such as that shown in FIG. 5 define elongated V-grooves, and within each of these V- grooves there is situated at least one transverse stiffening rib 10. Each stiffening rib is integrally formed with the remainder of the spacer body. Each of these ribs 10 has a Z-shaped configuration, as is apparent particularly from FIG. 8. Thus, each stiffening rib 10 has a triangular web portion extending along each wall portion of the spacer, and between the pair of triangular web portions there is a longitudinal web portion which extends along the intersection between the pair of longitudinal wall portions of the spacer. When each spacer is in its initial, unstressed condition shown in FIG. 8, the stiffening rib 10 will have the configuration apparent from FIG. 8.

These stiffening ribs 10 are yieldable because of the springy relative ductile nature of the plastic, and thus because of their Z-shaped profile they are capable of folding and unfolding while at the same time providing a reliable interconnection between the adjoining wall portions of each spacer. Thus, as a result of this particular configuration of the stiffening ribs with the spacers of X-shaped cross-section, it is possible for the longitudinal wall portions of each spacer to move toward or away from each other up to the elastic limit or yield point of the stiffening ribs.

Thus, referring to FIG. 6, the manner in which the stiffening ribs appear when looking along the V-grooves of the spacer as it appears from an end thereof is illustrated. Of course the X- shaped cross-section of the spacer is clearly apparent from FIG. 6.

In FIG. 7 there is fragmentarily illustrated, for example, parts of the shingles l and 5 as taken in a vertical plane which extends longitudinally of a corrugation so that the spacer of FIG. 5 is illustrated in FIG. 7 as it appears in cross-section between a pair of overlapping parts of shingles I and 5. Due to the pressure with which the shingles are urged toward each other by fastening bolts or the like, the intersecting wall portions of the spacer are urged at their outer edge regions toward each other, thus stretching the stiffening ribs at the upper and lower V-grooves of the spacer and compressing the stiffening ribs at the lateral V-grooves, as viewed in FIG. 7.

Referring to FIG. 8, the manner in which a stiffening rib appears when it is unstressed is shown therein, and at this time all of the V-grooves are of approximately the same configuration, as illustrated in FIG. 6. However, when the spacers are situated between shingles, the lateral V-grooves of FIG. 7 will provide stressing of the stiffening ribs 10 in the manner shown in FIG. 9. Thus, referring to FIG. 9, it will be seen that the triangular web portions of the stiffening rib have been displaced into a greater overlapping relationship and the intermediate web portion is twisted in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 9. On the other hand, the wall portions which are spread apart from each other, as shown at the upper and lower portions of the spacer of FIG. 7, will displace the triangular web portions of the stiffening rib 10 apart from each other thus twisting the intermediate part of the stiffening rib in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 10. In this way the yieldable, foldable stiffening ribs are capable of adapting themselves in the manner shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, so as to provide an inexpensive but at the same time extremely strong spacer which can be used in assemblies of the type described above.

It is to be noted that while the structure described above has been shown in connection with the peak of a roof, it is equally possible to situate the spacers of the invention between the horizontal rows of shingles extending along the lower edge of a roof. Thus, with the invention it is possible to provide at the region of the peak of the roof an escape for the heated air, while because of the staggered arrangement of the rows of spacers the dampness will be prevented from having access to the interior of the roof, particularly during rain and other storms.

As was pointed out above, the particular spacers which are shown in FIG. 1 not only lend themselves to use with corrugated shingles, but in addition they need only be turned 90 so as to have their flat side surfaces available for use with flat shingles of the types shown in FIG. 2 and 1 1.

Spacers of the type shown in FIGS. 5-10 have proved to be particularly advantageous in practice because of extreme simplicity and low cost as well as their very effective operation. They are preferably manufactured of a tough, ductile yieldable, elastic plastic such as, for example, Hostalen,* Hostalen is a trademark of F arbwerke Hoechst AG and stands for Polyethylene or Polypropylene.) and they are readily manufactured either by die casting or by extruding processes. With this construction there is on the one hand a sufficient stiffness and on the other hand an adequate elasticity so that when the overlapping rows of shingles are fastened while being maintained spaced from each other at their overlapping surface areas, these spacers reliably maintain the overlapping surface areas spaced from each other while at the same time affording an extremely reliable seal at the surface regions which engage each other.

With the Z-shaped transverse stiffening ribs 10 described above, it is possible for the spacers to be deformed so that in this way any lack of uniformity between the shingles can be taken up by the spacers themselves, any errors in the laying out of the shingles can also be compensated by yielding of these spacers, and finally it is possible for the spacers to accommodate themselves to thermal stressing such as thermal elongation or contraction without any difficulty.

Of course, the use of the notches 9 is of particular advantage. Thus, because of the presence of these notches if it should happen that as the result of a storm some rain should collect behind a given spacer, the rain cannot accumulate and instead will immediately flow down and out through the gaps between the next lower row of spacers. Thus, it is not possible for any moisture or rain water to accumulate in the space between the shingles with the structure of the invention.

The use of adhesive either on the shingles at their overlapping surface areas or on the spacers themselves has proved to be of particular advantage in the assembly of the structure. With the use of the adhesive layer on the lower shingles it is possible to place the spacers initially in the desired positions from which they will not move, and then the upper covering row of shingles such as that at the peak can be provided and fixed to the lower row of shingles without any inconvenience resulting from possible movement with the spacers because they already cling to the lower row of shingles at the layer of adhesive thereon.

However, a particularly rapid assembly can be achieved with an arrangement as shown schematically in FIG. 12. Thus, with this arrangement it is possible to locate the staggered rows of spacers, such as the spacers 8 on one face of an elongated strip 40 of flexible sheet material which can be a flexible elastic film of any suitable plastic capable of being rolled up in the manner shown at the right of FIG. 12 with the spacers 8 arranged as shown in FIG. 12 and adhering to one face of the strip 40 with the use of any suitable adhesive. While a plurality of staggered rows of spacers 8 are shown in FIG. 12 on the strip 40, it is also possible to provide an extremely narrow strip with only one row of spacers thereon, and thus individual rows can be individually placed on the shingles. The elastic film which forms the strip 40 can be very quickly and very conveniently unrolled onto the lower shingles such as the shingles 6 of FIGS. 2 and 11. Thus, the particular roll which is shown in FIG. 12 is that one which is adapted to be used with the arrangements shown in FIGS. 2 and 11. However, in the case where the spacers are to be used with corrugated shingles as shown in FIG. 1, the spacers can be arranged with only one row on a narrow strip. In one case the narrow strip can be rolled while engaging the inner concave surfaces of the curved spacers of one row while for another row the individual row of spacers can be fixed to a narrow strip which adheres to the outer convex surface thereof. Because of the elasticity of the film which forms the strip, it can easily adapt itself to the corrugations. Thus, in the one case the strip can be applied where it is joined to the inner concave surfaces of the spacers, to position the spacers across the crests of the corrugations. In the other case where the strip adheres to the outer convex surfaces, it can be applied to the corrugations for situating the spacers at the valleys thereof. In this way the strips can be unrolled with the spacers very rapidly situated properly along the corrugations, and thus a speedy, inexpensive assembly can be achieved. Thus, with any of the above arrangements the rows of spacers can be very quickly unrolled onto the lower of shingles and then the fastening of the upper row of shingles to the lower row will maintain the spacers in position, thus achieving the results described above with the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a building, two rows of shingles one of which overlaps the other with said one row having an outer longitudinal edge region situated outwardly of an inner longitudinal edge region of the other row, and said outer longitudinal edge region of said one row having an inner overlapping surface area overlapping an outer overlapping surface area of said inner longitudinal edge region of said other row, and at least two rows of spacers extending longitudinally of said shingle rows between said overlapping surface areas thereof for maintaining said overlapping surface areas spaced from each other, the spacers of each row of spacers defining gaps of predetermined length between themselves from one spacer of each row to the next spacer thereof, and the spacers of said rows being staggered with the spacers of one row aligned with the gaps of the other row, and the spacers all being at least as long as said gaps so that in a direction perpendicular to said rows any fluid flowing through the gaps of one row will encounter the spacers of the other row, whereby air can circulate around the spacers between the overlapping surface areas of said rows of shingles while a liquid such as rain will be prevented from flowing beyond the two rows of spacers, said shingles being corrugated and said spacers being curved with the spacers of one row situated at the crests of the corrugations of said shingles and the spacers of the other row situated at the valleys between the corrugations of said shingles with said spacers each having a length at least as great as one-half of a full corrugation of the shingles.

2. In a building, two rows of shingles one of which overlaps the other with said one row having an outer longitudinal edge region situated outwardly of an inner longitudinal edge region of the other row, and said outer longitudinal edge region of said one row having an inner overlapping surface area overlapping an outer overlapping surface area of said inner longitudinal edge region of said other row, and at least two rows of spacers extending longitudinally of said shingle rows between said overlapping surface areas thereof for maintaining said overlapping surface areas spaced from each other, the spacers of each row of spacers defining gaps of predetermined length between themselves from one spacer of each row to the next spacer thereof, and the spacers of said rows being staggered with the spacers of one row aligned with the gaps of the other row, and the spacers all being at least as long as said gaps so that in a direction perpendicular to said rows any fluid flowing through the gaps of one row will encounter the spacers of the other row, whereby air can circulate around the spacers between the overlapping surface areas of said rows of shingles while a liquid such as rain will be prevented from flowing beyond the two rows of spacers, each spacer being in the form of an elongated body of X-shaped cross-section.

3. The combination of claim 2 and wherein each of said spacers has elongated webs defining V-grooves extending longitudinally of each spacer, and at least one stiffening rib situated in each V-groove extending transversely thereof.

4. The combination of claim 3 and wherein each stiffening rib is of Z-shaped configuration and is sufficiently yieldable to be folded.

5. The combination of claim 4 and wherein each spacer together with its stiffening ribs is made of a springy plastic.

6. In a building, two rows of shingles one of which overlaps the other with said one row having an outer longitudinal edge region situated outwardly of an inner longitudinal edge region of the other row, and said outer longitudinal edge region of said one row having an inner overlapping surface area overlapping an outer overlapping surface area of said inner longitudinal edge region of said other row, and at least two rows of spacers extending longitudinally of said shingle rows between said overlapping surface areas thereof for maintaining said overlapping surface areas spaced from each other, the spacers of each row of spacers defining gaps of predetermined length between themselves from one spacer of each row to the next spacer thereof, and the spacers of said rows being staggered with the spacers of one row aligned with the gaps of the other row, and the spacers all being at least as long as said gaps so that in a direction perpendicular to said rows any fluid flowing through the gaps of one row will encounter the spacers of the other row, whereby air can circulate around the spacers between the overlapping surface areas of said rows of shingles while a liquid such as rain will be prevented from flowing beyond the two rows of spacers, said shingles being corrugated and said spacers being of a curved configuration with one row of spacers situated at the crests of the corrugations and the other row situated at the valleys between the corrugations, and each curved spacer which engages the valleys between the corrugations at the outer overlapping surface of the inner longitudinal edge region of said other row of shingles being formed next to the outer surface area of the latter row of shingles with transverse grooves situated at the innermost part of each valley between adjacent corrugations so that any rain which collects on one side of the latter spacers will flow downwardly through said grooves.

7. In a building, two rows of shingles one of which overlaps the other with said one row having an outer longitudinal edge region situated outwardly of an inner longitudinal edge region of the other row, and said outer longitudinal edge region of said one row having an inner overlapping surface area overlapping an outer overlapping surface area of said inner longitudinal edge region of said other row, and at least two rows of spacers extending longitudinally of said shingle rows between said overlapping surface areas thereof for maintaining said overlapping surface areas spaced from each other, the spacers of each row of spacers defining gaps of predetermined length between themselves from one spacer of each row to the next spacer thereof, and the spacers of said rows being staggered with the spacers of one row aligned with the gaps of the other row, and the spacers all being at least as long as said gaps so that in a direction perpendicular to said rows any fluid flowing through the gaps of one row will encounter the spacers of the other row, whereby air can circulate around the spacers between the overlapping surface areas of said rows of shingles while a liquid such as rain will be prevented from flowing beyond the two rows of spacers, a layer of adhesive being situated between the spacers and said overlapping surface areas for adhesively bonding said spacers and shingles to each other.

8. In a building, two rows of shingles one of which overlaps the other with said one row having an outer longitudinal edge region situated outwardly of an inner longitudinal edge region of the other row, and said outer longitudinal edge region of said one row having an inner overlapping surface area overlapping an outer overlapping surface area of said inner longitudinal edge region of said other row, and at least two rows of spacers extending longitudinally of said shingle rows between said overlapping surface areas thereof for maintaining said overlapping surface areas spaced from each other, the spacers of each row of spacers defining gaps of predetermined length between themselves from one spacer of each row to the next spacer thereof, and the spacers of said rows being staggered with the spacers of one row aligned with the gaps of the other row, and the spacers all being at least as long as said gaps so that in a direction perpendicular to said rows any fluid flowing through the gaps of one row will encounter the spacers of the other row, whereby air can circulate around the spacers between the overlapping surface areas of said rows of shingles while a liquid such as rain will be prevented from flowing beyond the two rows of spacers, an elongated strip of flexible sheet material carrying spacers on one face of said strip so that the latter can initially be rolled and need only be unrolled onto the outer surface area along the inner edge region of said other row of shingles before said one row of shingles is placed in position in order to situate the spacers between said surface areas. 

1. In a building, two rows of shingles one of which overlaps the other with said one row having an outer longitudinal edge region situated outwardly of an inner longitudinal edge region of the other row, and said outer longitudinal edge region of said one row having an inner overlapping surface area overlapping an outer overlapping surface area of said inner longitudinal edge region of said other row, and at least two rows of spacers extending longitudinally of said shingle rows between said overlapping surface areas thereof for maintaining said overlapping surface areas spaced from each other, the spacers of each row of spacers defining gaps of predetermined length between themselves from one spacer of each row to the next spacer thereof, and the spacers of said rows being staggered with the spacers of one row aligned with the gaps of the other row, and the spacers all being at least as long as said gaps so that in a direction perpendicular to said rows any fluid flowing through the gaps of one row will encounter the spacers of the other row, whereby air can circulate around the spacers between the overlapping surface areas of said rows of shingles while a liquid such as rain will be prevented from flowing beyond the two rows of spacers, said shingles being corrugated and said spacers being curved with the spacers of one row situated at the crests of the corrugations of said shingles and the spacers of the other row situated at the valleys between the corrugations of said shingles with said spacers each having a length at least as great as one-half of a full corrugation of the shingles.
 2. In a building, two rows of shingles one of which overlaps the other with said one row having an outer longitudinal edge region situated outwardly of an inner longitudinal edge region of the other row, and said outer longitudinal edge region of said one row having an inner overlapping surface area overlapping an outer overlapping surface area of said inner longitudinal edge region of said other row, and at least two rows of spacers extending longitudinally of said shingle rows between said overlapping surface areas thereof for maintaining said overlapping surface areas spaced from each other, the spacers of each row of spacers defining gaps of predetermined length between themselves from one spacer of each row to the next spacer thereof, and the spacers of said rows being staggered with the spacers of one row aligned with the gaps of the other row, and the spacers all being at least as long as said gaps so that in a direction perpendicular to said rows any fluid flowing through the gaps of one row will encounter the spacers of the other row, whereby air can circulate around the spacers between the overlapping surface areas of said rows of shingles while a liquid such as rain will be prevented from flowing beyond the two rows of spacers, each spacer being in the form of an elongated body of X-shaped cross-section.
 3. The combination of claim 2 and wherein each of said spacers has elongated webs defining V-grooves extending longitudinally of each spacer, and at least one stiffening rib situated in each V-groove extending transversely thereof.
 4. The combination of claim 3 and wherein each stiffening rib is of Z-shaped configuration and is sufficiently yieldable to be folded.
 5. The combination of claim 4 and wherein each spacer together with its stiffening ribs is made of a springy plastic.
 6. In a building, two rows of shingles one of which overlaps the other with said one row having an outer longitudinal edge region situated outwardly of an inner longitudinal edge region of the other row, and said outer longitudinal edge region of said one row having an inner overlapping surface area overlapping an outer overlapping surface area of said inner longitudinal edge region of said other row, and at least two rows of spacers extending longitudinally of said shingle rows between said overlapping surface areas thereof for maintaining said overlapping surface areas spaced from each other, the spacers of each row of spacers defining gaps of predetermined length between themselves from one spacer of each row to the next spacer thereof, and the spacers of said rows being staggered with the spacers of one row aligned with the gaps of the other row, and the spacers all being at least as long as said gaps so that in a direction perpendicular to said rows any fluid flowing through the gaps of one row will encounter the spacers of the other row, whereby air can circulate around the spacers between the overlapping surface areas of said rows of shingles while a liquid such as rain will be prevented from flowing beyond the two rows of spacers, said shingles being corrugated and said spacers being of a curved configuration with one row of spacers situated at the crests of the corrugations and the other row situated at the valleys between the corrugations, and each curved spacer which engages the valleys between the corrugations at the outer overlapping surface of the inner longitudinal edge region of said other row of shingles being formed next to the outer surface area of the latter row of shingles with transverse grooves situated at the innermost part of each valley between adjacent corrugations so that any rain which collects on one side of the latter spacers will flow downwardly through said grooves.
 7. In a building, two rows of shingles one of which overlaps the other with said one row having an outer longitudinal edge region situated outwardly of an inner longitudinal edge region of the other row, and said outer longitudinal edge region of said one row having an inner overlapping surface area overlapping an outer overlapping surface area of said inner longitudinal edge region of said other row, and at least two rows of spacers extending longitudinally of said shingle rows between said overlapping surface areas thereof for maintaining said overlapping surface areas spaced from each other, the spacers of each row of spacers defining gaps of predetermined length between themselves from one spacer of each row to the next spacer thereof, and the spacers of said rows being staggered with the spacers of one row aligned with the gaps of the other row, and the spacers all being at least as long as said gaps so that in a direction perpendicular to said rows any fluid flowing through the gaps of one row will encounter the spacers of the other row, whereby air can circulate around the spacers between the overlapping surface areas of said rows of shingles while a liquid such as raIn will be prevented from flowing beyond the two rows of spacers, a layer of adhesive being situated between the spacers and said overlapping surface areas for adhesively bonding said spacers and shingles to each other.
 8. In a building, two rows of shingles one of which overlaps the other with said one row having an outer longitudinal edge region situated outwardly of an inner longitudinal edge region of the other row, and said outer longitudinal edge region of said one row having an inner overlapping surface area overlapping an outer overlapping surface area of said inner longitudinal edge region of said other row, and at least two rows of spacers extending longitudinally of said shingle rows between said overlapping surface areas thereof for maintaining said overlapping surface areas spaced from each other, the spacers of each row of spacers defining gaps of predetermined length between themselves from one spacer of each row to the next spacer thereof, and the spacers of said rows being staggered with the spacers of one row aligned with the gaps of the other row, and the spacers all being at least as long as said gaps so that in a direction perpendicular to said rows any fluid flowing through the gaps of one row will encounter the spacers of the other row, whereby air can circulate around the spacers between the overlapping surface areas of said rows of shingles while a liquid such as rain will be prevented from flowing beyond the two rows of spacers, an elongated strip of flexible sheet material carrying spacers on one face of said strip so that the latter can initially be rolled and need only be unrolled onto the outer surface area along the inner edge region of said other row of shingles before said one row of shingles is placed in position in order to situate the spacers between said surface areas. 